Recessed overhead lighting device

Abstract

A recessed overhead lighting device adapted to be encased in a mounting opening defined in a ceiling panel which is supported by ceiling joists. The lighting device includes a shade structure for supporting at least one tubular lamp and having a reflective surface and also having opposite side flanges. At least one pair of generally elongated mounting members, each having first and second end portions opposite to each other, are mounted on the shade structure. The mounting members are movable between release and set positions, but are held in the release position during insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening. The mounting members are, however, pivoted towards the set position, when the shade structure is inserted from below into the mounting opening, to cause the first end portions of the mounting members to cooperate with the side flanges of the shade structure to sandwich the ceiling joists and the ceiling panel, to thereby complete fitting of the lighting device to the ceiling panel. A fixture is provided on each of the mounting members for locking the associated mounting member at the set position after the shade structure has been completely inserted into the mounting opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A recessed overhead lighting device adapted to be encased in a mounting opening defined in a ceiling panel which is supported by ceiling joists, said lighting device comprising: a shade structure for supporting at least one tubular lamp and having a reflective surface for reflecting light from the tubular lamp, said shade structure having a longitudinal axis and also having opposite side flanges;   at least one pair of generally elongated mounting members mounted on the shade structure, each of said elongated mounting members having first and second end portions opposite to each other, said mounting members of the pair being disposed on respective sides of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and pivotally movable between release and set positions, said mounting members being held in the release position to allow insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening, said mounting members being pivoted towards the set position above the ceiling joists, when the shade structure is inserted from below into the mounting opening, to cause the first end portions of the mounting members to cooperate with the side flanges of the shade structure below the ceiling panel to sandwich the ceiling joists and the ceiling panel;   a fixture provided on each of the mounting members for locking the associated mounting member at the set position after the shade structure has been completely inserted into the mounting opening; and   at least one pair of centering members pivotally mounted on the shade structure and spaced in a direction widthwise of the shade structure, each of said centering members including an engagement arm, which is, during insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening, pushed in contact with the ceiling panel to cause the corresponding centering member to pivot, and a side abutment arm which is held in contact with a side face of the adjacent ceiling joist in response to the pivot of the corresponding centering member.   
     
     
       2. The recessed overhead lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second end portion of each of the mounting members is a closure body, said closure body having a lower surface which is held in flush with a lower surface of the shade structure when the associated mounting member is pivoted to the set position. 
     
     
       3. The recessed overhead lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the mounting member is pivotally mounted on the shade structure by means of a shaft member extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shade structure. 
     
     
       4. The recessed overhead lighting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spacer mounted on each of the mounting members and movable between an advanced position, at which the spacer confronts a side portion of the shade structure facing the adjacent ceiling joist, and a retracted position at which the spacer is retracted upwardly of the adjacent ceiling joist. 
     
     
       5. The recessed overhead lighting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an attachment angularly adjustably mounted on each of the mounting members, said attachment having a plurality of side abutment faces spaced angularly from each other about a longitudinal axis of the corresponding mounting member, said side abutment faces being spaced a progressively varying distance laterally outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the corresponding mounting member, said attachment forming said first end portion of each of the mounting members. 
     
     
       6. The recessed overhead lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shade structure is disposed with its longitudinal axis lying parallel to the ceiling joist and wherein two pairs of the mounting members are employed with the mounting members of each pair positioned on one side of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, said pairs of the mounting members being spaced an asymmetric distance endwise from an imaginary line drawn so as to extend transverse to a point intermediate of the length of the shade structure. 
     
     
       7. The recessed overhead lighting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one pair of insertion guide pieces fixedly mounted on respective sides of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, said insertion guide pieces of the pair being spaced a distance slightly smaller than a width of the mounting opening in a direction widthwise of the shade structure. 
     
     
       8. The recessed overhead lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the centering members is connected with a connecting member for angularly moving the respective centering member in operative association with angular movement of the corresponding mounting member, each of said centering members being pivoted in response to contact of the engagement arm with the ceiling panel during insertion of the shade structure into the mounting opening, but prior to the side flanges brought into contact with the ceiling panel, to thereby cause the respective mounting member to be pivoted from the release position towards the set position. 
     
     
       9. The recessed overhead lighting device as claim 1, further comprising an elastic abutment piece provided on the side abutment arm of each of the centering members, said elastic abutment piece being elastically deformed in contact with a side face of the adjacent ceiling joist. 
     
     
       10. A recessed overhead lighting device adapted to be encased in a mounting opening defined in a ceiling panel which is supported by ceiling joists, said lighting device comprising: a shade structure for supporting at least one tubular lamp and having a reflective surface for reflecting light from the tubular lamp, said shade structure having a longitudinal axis and also having opposite side flanges;   at least one pair of generally elongated mounting members mounted on the shade structure, each of said elongated mounting members having first and second end portions opposite to each other, said mounting members of the pair being disposed on respective sides of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and movable between release and set positions, said mounting members being held in the release position during insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening, said mounting members being pivoted towards the set position, when the shade structure is inserted from below into the mounting opening, to cause the first end portions of the mounting members to cooperate with the side flanges of the shade structure to sandwich the ceiling joists and the ceiling panel;   a fixture provided on each of the mounting members for locking the associated mounting member at the set position after the shade structure has been completely inserted into the mounting opening, and   a spacer mounted on each of the mounting members and movable between an advanced position, at which the spacer confronts a side portion of the shade structure facing the adjacent ceiling joist, and a retracted position at which the spacer is retracted upwardly of the adjacent ceiling joist.   
     
     
       11. A recessed overhead lighting device adapted to be encased in a mounting opening defined in a ceiling panel which is supported by ceiling joists, said lighting device comprising: a shade structure for supporting at least one tubular lamp and having a reflective surface for reflecting light from the tubular lamp, said shade structure having a longitudinal axis and also having opposite side flanges;   at least one pair of generally elongated mounting members mounted on the shade structure, each of said elongated mounting members having first and second end portions opposite to each other, said mounting members of the pair being disposed on respective sides of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and movable between release and set positions, said mounting members being held in the release position during insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening, said mounting members being pivoted towards the set position, when the shade structure is inserted from below into the mounting opening, to cause the first end portions of the mounting members to cooperate with the side flanges of the shade structure to sandwich the ceiling joists and the ceiling panel;   a fixture provided on each of the mounting members for locking the associated mounting member at the set position after the shade structure has been completely inserted into the mounting opening; and   an attachment angularly adjustably mounted on each of the mounting members, said attachment having a plurality of side abutment faces spaced angularly from each other about a longitudinal axis of the corresponding mounting member, said side abutment faces being spaced a progressively varying distance laterally outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the corresponding mounting member, said attachment forming said first end portion of each of the mounting members.   
     
     
       12. A recessed overhead lighting device adapted to be encased in a mounting opening defined in a ceiling panel which is supported by ceiling joists, said lighting device comprising: a shade structure for supporting at least one tubular lamp and having a reflective surface for reflecting light from the tubular lamp, said shade structure having a longitudinal axis and also having opposite side flanges;   at least one pair of generally elongated mounting members mounted on the shade structure, each of said elongated mounting members having first and second end portions opposite to each other, said mounting members of the pair being disposed on respective sides of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and movable between release and set positions, said mounting members being held in the release position during insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening, said mounting members being pivoted towards the set position, when the shade structure is inserted from below into the mounting opening, to cause the first end portions of the mounting members to cooperate with the side flanges of the shade structure to sandwich the ceiling joists and the ceiling panel; and   a fixture provided on each of the mounting members for locking the associated mounting member at the set position after the shade structure has been completely inserted into the mounting opening, wherein the shade structure is disposed with its longitudinal axis lying parallel to the ceiling joist and wherein two pairs of the mounting members are employed with the mounting members of each pair positioned on one side of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, said pairs of the mounting members being spaced on asymmetric distance endwise from an imaginary line drawn so as to extend transverse to a point intermediate of the length of the shade structure.   
     
     
       13. A recessed overhead lighting device adapted to be encased in a mounting opening defined in a ceiling panel which is supported by ceiling joists, said lighting device comprising: a shade structure for supporting at least one tubular lamp and having a reflective surface for reflecting light from the tubular lamp, said shade structure having a longitudinal axis and also having opposite side flanges;   at least one pair of generally elongated mounting members mounted on the shade structure, each of said elongated mounting members having first and second end portions opposite to each other, said mounting members of the pair being disposed on respective sides of the shade structure with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and movable between release and set positions, said mounting members being held in the release position during insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening, said mounting members being pivoted towards the set position, when the shade structure is inserted from below into the mounting opening, to cause the first end portions of the mounting members to cooperate with the side flanges of the shade structure to sandwich the ceiling joists and the ceiling panel;   a fixture provided on each of the mounting members for locking the associated mounting member at the set position after the shade structure has been completely inserted into the mounting opening; and   at least one pair of centering members pivotally mounted on the shade structure and spaced in a direction widthwise of the shade structure, each of said centering members including an engagement arm, which is, during insertion of the shade structure from below into the mounting opening, pushed downwardly in contact with the ceiling panel to cause the corresponding centering member to pivot, and a side abutment arm which is held in contact with a side face of the adjacent ceiling joist in response to the pivot of the corresponding centering member, wherein each of the centering members is connected with a connecting member for angularly moving the respective centering member in operative association with angular movement of the corresponding mounting member, each of said centering members being pivoted in response to contact of the engagement arm with the ceiling panel during insertion of the shade structure into the mounting opening, but prior to the side flanges brought into contact with the ceiling panel, to thereby cause the respective mounting member to be pivoted from the release position towards the set position.